Jozue 23

1 Sima na Yawe kopesa bopemi na Isalaele liboso ya banguna nyonso oyo bazingelaki bango, elekaki tango molayi. Bongo, Jozue akomaki mobange, mpe mibu ya bomoi na ye epusanaki makasi.

After many days, when Yahweh had given rest to Israel from all their enemies that around them, and Joshua was old and well advanced in years.

2 Boye, Jozue abengisaki Isalaele mobimba: bampaka na yango, bakambi na yango, basambisi elongo na bakalaka na yango. Alobaki na bango: « Nakomi mobange mpe mibu ya bomoi na ngai epusani makasi.

Joshua called for all Israel—for their elders, for their leaders, for their judges, and for their officers—and he said to them, “I am very old.

3 Bino moko bomonaki makambo nyonso oyo Yawe, Nzambe na bino, asalaki liboso ya bikolo oyo nyonso mpo na bolamu na bino, pamba te ezalaki Yawe, Nzambe na bino, nde azalaki kobundela bino.

You have seen everything that Yahweh your God has done to all these nations for your sake, for it is Yahweh your God who has fought for you.

4 Bobosana te ndenge nini nazalaki kobeta zeke mpo na kokabolela mabota na bino lokola libula, mokili ya bikolo oyo etikali mpe ya bikolo oyo nabotolaki wuta na Yordani kino na Ebale monene, na ngambo ya weste.

Look! I have assigned to you the nations that remain to be conquered as an inheritance for your tribes, along with all the nations I have already destroyed, from the Jordan to the Great Sea in the west.

5 Yawe, Nzambe na bino, nde akobengana bango, Ye moko, mosika liboso na bino; akobengana bango liboso na bino mpe bokozwa mokili na bango ndenge Yawe, Nzambe na bino, alakaki.

Yahweh your God will drive them out. He will push them out from you. He will seize their land, and you will take possession of their land, just as Yahweh your God promised to you.

6 Boyika mpiko mpe bosenzela mpo na kotosa makambo nyonso oyo ekomama kati na buku ya Mobeko ya Moyize; bokende libanda na yango te.

So be very strong, so that you keep and do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, turning aside from it neither to the right hand nor to the left,

7 Bosala boyokani te elongo na bikolo mosusu oyo etikali kati na bino, bobelela bakombo ya banzambe na yango te to mpe bolapa ndayi na bakombo na yango te. Bomeka kosalela yango te mpe bofukamela yango te.

so you may not mix with these nations that remain among you or mention the names of their gods, swear by them, worship them, or bow down to them.

8 Kasi bokangama makasi na Yawe, Nzambe na bino, ndenge bozali kosala kino na mokolo ya lelo.

Instead, you must cling to Yahweh your God just as you have done to this day.

9 Yawe abenganaki bikolo ya minene mpe ya nguya liboso na bino; mpe kino na moyi ya lelo, moko te alongi kotelema liboso na bino.

For Yahweh has driven out before you large, strong nations. As for you, no one has been able to stand before you to this present day.

10 Moto moko kaka kati na bino azalaki kokimisa bato nkoto moko, pamba te Yawe, Nzambe na bino, azalaki kobundela bino ndenge alakaki.

Any single man of your number will make a thousand run away, for Yahweh your God, is the one who fights for you, just as he promised you.

11 Boye, bosala keba ete bolinga Yawe, Nzambe na bino.

Pay particular attention, so that you love Yahweh your God.

12 Kasi soki bopesi Yawe mokongo, mpe soki bosali boyokani elongo na bato oyo babiki kati na bikolo oyo etikali kati na bino; soki bosali mabala mpe bosangani elongo na bango,

But if you turn back and cling to the survivors of these nations who remain among you, or if you intermarry with them, or if you come together with them and they with you,

13 boyeba ete Yawe, Nzambe na bino, akobengana lisusu te bikolo yango liboso na bino. Bakokoma nde minyama mpe mitambo mpo na bino, bafimbu na mikongo na bino mpe banzube kati na miso na bino, kino tango bokosila kokufa na mokili ya kitoko oyo Nzambe na bino apesaki bino.

then know for certain that Yahweh your God will no longer drive these nations out from among you. Instead, they will become a snare and a trap for you, whips on your backs and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land that Yahweh your God has given you.

14 Sik’oyo ngai nakomi pene ya kokende na nzela oyo moto nyonso akendaka. Na motema mpe elimo na bino mobimba, boyeba ete elaka moko te kati na bilaka nyonso ya kitoko oyo Yawe, Nzambe na bino, apesaki bino ekotikala kokweya. Bilaka nyonso esila kokokisama, moko te ekotikala kokweya.

Now I am going the way of all the earth, and you know with all your hearts and souls that not one word has failed to come true of all the good things that Yahweh your God promised about you. All these things have come about for you. Not one of them has failed.

15 Ndenge kaka bilaka nyonso ya kitoko ya Yawe, Nzambe na bino, ekokisamaki solo, ndenge wana mpe akotindela bino makambo mabe kino tango akosilisa koboma bino kati na mokili ya kitoko oyo apesaki bino

But just as every word Yahweh your God promised you has been fulfilled, so Yahweh will bring on you all the evil things until he has destroyed you from this good land that Yahweh your God has given you.

16 soki bobebisi boyokani ya Yawe, Nzambe na bino, oyo apeselaki bino mitindo, mpe bokeyi kosalela banzambe mosusu mpe kofukamela yango. Kanda ya Yawe ekotumba bino mpe bokosila kokufa noki penza na mokili ya kitoko oyo apesaki bino. »

He will do this if you break the covenant of Yahweh your God, which he commanded you to keep. If you go and worship other gods and bow down to them, then the anger of Yahweh will be kindled against you, and you will quickly perish from the good land that he has given you.”